Ghee
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in Food
We tested 15 brands of ghee — Amul, Anik, Milkman, Devi, EveryDay, Farm Fresh, Gayatri, Gits, Goa Dairy, Nandini, Nova, RKG, Sagar, Verka and Vraj Gopi — and two loose samples purchased locally.
July-August 2001
KEY FINDINGS
We tested 15 brands of ghee — Amul, Anik, Milkman, Devi, EveryDay, Farm Fresh, Gayatri, Gits, Goa Dairy, Nandini, Nova, RKG, Sagar, Verka and Vraj Gopi — and two loose samples purchased locally.
- We tested ghee against specifications of Agmark where applicable, the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and Codex.
- We tested ghee for sensory attributes of flavour, texture, colour and suspended impurities.
- Farm Fresh rated the highest on the sensory score.
- Though all the brands were unadulterated with vanaspati and animal fat, the two loose samples were adulterated with vanaspati.
- Though DDT is banned from agricultural use in India it was found in all the brands and loose samples.
- Devi had heptachlor. Lindane was found in Amul, Farm Fresh, Gayatri, Gits, Goa Dairy, Sagar, Nandini and Nova.
- Except EveryDay, Goa Dairy, Milkman and Sagar and two loose samples, all the brands had copper. Vraj Gopi showed the highest level of copper at 5.7 ppm.
- Anik, EveryDay, Goa Dairy, Milkman and Nova conformed to the maximum level of 0.8 peroxide value. This parameter indicates rancidity.
- Anik, Devi, Gayatri, Gits, RKG and LG-II did not conform to the BIS levels for free fatty acid.
- EveryDay scored the highest when analytical and sensory parameters are considered together.
- RKG was the most expensive brand at Rs 104 and Goa Dairy had the lowest price at Rs 67.50 for 500 gms.
- lEveryDay is our Best Buy.
